Science Fiction Author Sues Ubisoft
Citing “numerous similarities” between Assassin’s Creed and his novel “Link”, science fiction author John L. Beiswenger has sued Ubisoft on the grounds of copyright infringement. The basis of the claim lies in the fact that in Assassin’s Creed the main character lives the memories of his ancestors through his DNA through the aid of the “animus” device. Beiswenger says that it’s an infringement on his novel, in which the main character can access ancestral memories in a similar fashion.
The lawsuit also claims that because the game mentions assassins, uses the first person perspective, contains a battle between good and evil, and references Jesus, Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden, it’s infringing on his copyright. He’s seeking anywhere from $1.05 million up to $5.25 if the court were to find Ubisoft intentionally infringed on his copyright.
I don’t know about you, but this sounds like a ploy by an author who didn’t make it big like he wanted to, and is now trying something, anything to get rich. While there’s a possibility that he has a case with the ancestral memories, I can’t see how the fact that Ubisoft mentioned such broad themes like assassins, good and evil, and Jesus makes them copyright infringers. I guess we’ll see how this lawsuit plays out, if it even makes it to court in the first place.
